News 19.08.2021

Need to know

P&G partners with Walmart on inclusive Gen Z haircare, NFT platform RARIO elevates cricket fandom and America’s widening internet access gap.

Gen Z employees co-create P&G’s textured haircare brand

Nou Haircare, US
Nou Haircare, US

US – Consumer goods company P&G is working with supermarket chain Walmart to co-incubate a youth-focused haircare brand called NOU (Next of Us). Catering for textured hair, the brand addresses the needs of 3A-4C hair types. Curl patterns on the packaging enable shoppers to easily identify which products suit their hair porosity, while QR codes on the back of bottles provide information about hair types.

P&G and Walmart internally recruited 30 Generation Z employees to create NOU and to ensure that the brand accurately responds to the needs and interests of its target audience. ‘They [young consumers] are rejecting what we could say are the norms of beauty; they want to be very expressive,’ says Lela Coffey, vice-president of haircare and multicultural brands at P&G. ‘[And they are using] hair as a form of self-expression to be as fluid and as constantly changing.’

This product line therefore responds to a gap in the market for accessible, inclusive haircare. As more beauty brands wise up to the preferences of Gen Z consumers, NOU demonstrates how youth-focused products must also respond to the requirements of diverse audiences.

Strategic opportunity

Companies can look internally and work directly with Gen Z teammates to create products that will resonate with wider youth audiences. When targeting this demographic, prioritise themes of self-expression and individuality

Debating app Polemix connects polarised youth

Youth in Power by Ryan McGinley Youth in Power by Ryan McGinley
Polemix, US Polemix, US

US – Recognising the importance of exposure to contrasting opinions among young people, debating app Polemix provides an alternative to algorithm-led social media platforms. Its video format, inspired by TikTok, includes two large buttons: Respect But Disagree and Convinced By You. The debated point in question sits at the top of each stream, and is set by the platform’s Leaders, a group of 40 young people involved in the app’s creation.

As a product, Polemix intentionally goes against the grain of most social networks to promote free discourse and opposing points of view among young people. Ian Sielecki, founder and CEO of Polemix, says the idea ‘was to create, inspired from the magic of debating, a conceptual landscape in which people would hear [and] listen to the outside by design’.

With Generation Z increasingly driven by opportunities to reform outdated societal systems, apps like Polemix provide an experimental outlet for varied discourse. And as young people seek to build resilience, such platforms act as counter-movements to familiar online echo chambers.

Strategic opportunity

Social media brands should facilitate healthy debate through safe and controlled channels. Break free from only connecting people with similar interests to instead invite connection and conversation through opposing ideas

Rario digitises cricket fandom through NFTs

Global – While cricket fandom primarily exists in offline spaces, technology company Rario is launching a non-fungible token (NFT) platform to digitise fan experiences of the sport.

The platform, which is currently in beta, enables ownership of popular cricket moments in the form of images, video or audio. Rario is also set to launch a marketplace for trading NFTs, followed by an interactive fan club for engaging with other users.

In this way, Rario is captitalising on the medium of NFTs to elevate the experience of fandom for the cricket community. ‘We are living in a mobile-first world and all our interactions are primarily digital… but fandom is still predominantly offline,’ explains Ankit Wadhwa, founder and CEO of Rario. ‘Rario aims to change all that. We are here to make the digital collectible revolution accessible to every fan.’

While we’ve been tracking the rise of decentralised digital capital through Alternet Economies, Rario provides an example of how content ownership can also bolster the appeal of Digital Fandom.

Rario, India

Strategic opportunity

From immersive, game-like experiences to online communities, reflect on how sports brands and publications can utilise digital spaces to foster connections that complement IRL fan interactions or provide one-of-a-kind moments

Stat: Low-income Americans rely on smartphone-only internet

iPhone Bag, Tom Galle iPhone Bag, Tom Galle

The digital divide continues to be a major issue in America, with many low-income households lacking access to at-home technology beyond their smartphones. According to a survey by Pew Research Center, this reality has caused particular concern during the pandemic, with many citizens having had to work or learn from home.

The survey reveals that some 27% of US adults living in households earning less than £21.8k ($30k, €25.6k) a year are smartphone-only internet users – meaning they own a smartphone but do not have broadband internet at home. This figure represents a substantial increase from 12% in 2013. Meanwhile, 13% of adults with household incomes of less than £21.8k say they don’t have access to broadband services, a smartphone, a desktop computer, laptop or tablet.

These figures show there is a clear need for greater support in bridging the digital access gap. And as households become more connected, brands have an opportunity to reach new internet users in less expected ways.

Strategic opportunity

Technology brands can step up to support citizens who lack access to hardware or broadband. Consider creating off-price or discounted internet plans or open shared physical spaces where people can work or learn with ease

Previous News Articles
Social media star Kai Cenat launches Streamer University

News

Social media star Kai Cenat launches Streamer University

Twitch sensation Kai Cenat has launched Streamer University, a weekend-long experience for aspiring creators to collaborate, learn and produce cont...
Media : Entertainment : Education
De Beers to close its lab-grown diamond jewellery brand

News

De Beers to close its lab-grown diamond jewellery brand

De Beers Group has announced the closure of Lightbox, its lab-grown diamond jewellery brand, signalling a strategic retreat from the synthetic jewe...
Luxury : Sustainability : Jewellery
Financial mansplaining endures for a majority of British women

News

Financial mansplaining endures for a majority of British women

Gender bias in money matters is pushing British women out of financial conversations, according to new research commissioned by digital wealth mana...
Finance : Diversity : Inclusion
Avanade Intelligent Garden gives trees a voice at Chelsea Flower Show

News

Avanade Intelligent Garden gives trees a voice at Chelsea Flower Show

This year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show invites visitors to interact with AI-enabled trees in the Avanade Intelligent Garden.
Technology : Nature : Sustainability
ITV launches deaf-led drama with BSL and silent ad break

News

ITV launches deaf-led drama with BSL and silent ad break

ITV is pushing the boundaries of inclusive storytelling with the launch of its new prime time drama Code of Silence, starring BAFTA-winning actor a...
Media : Diversity : Inclusion
Stat: Boomerang generation return home due to cost of living crisis

News

Stat: Boomerang generation return home due to cost of living crisis

The rising cost of living and unaffordable housing are fuelling a surge in adult children returning to the family home.
Family : Home : Youth
Manchester City brings grassroots spirit to kit launch

News

Manchester City brings grassroots spirit to kit launch

Manchester City Football Club has marked the launch of its 2025/2026 home kit with a short film that playfully blends football fandom, nostalgia an...
Sports : Design : Creative
Vinted tops France’s fashion market as second-hand sales surge

News

Vinted tops France’s fashion market as second-hand sales surge

Second-hand platform Vinted has overtaken Amazon and Kiabi to become France’s top clothing retailer by sales volume, according to new data from the...
Fashion : Sustainability : Retail
Stat: Nearly half of UK shoppers prefer in-store retail – but body image challenges persist

News

Stat: Nearly half of UK shoppers prefer in-store retail – but body image challenges persist

As consumers’ desire for in-person connection increases, nearly half of UK shoppers now prefer to shop in-store, according to new research.
Stats : Stat : Retail
China’s online sports and equipment sales are booming

News

China’s online sports and equipment sales are booming

The sports apparel and equipment sector continues to be one of the highest-growth key consumer sectors in China, according to brand agency Hot Pot ...
China : Sports : HotPot China
You have 2 free News articles remaining. Sign up to LS:N Global to get unlimited access to all articles.
BECOME A MEMBER
SIGN IN